Maeve Binchy

by Maeve Binchy.
Dell paperback, 537 pages. 1996.
CONTEMPORARY.

Teacher Aiden Dunne begins an evening class in Italian at the run-down school of Mountainview College outside of Dublin, Ireland. The class is led by an extraordinary new person to their town – Signora. Attending the first class is an odd assortment of people and their individual stories are told. Before the class is finished, they have all intermingled and become close. Meanwhile, the story centers around Aiden and his unhappy marriage and his growing admiration for Signora. And Signora, a mysterious person who reveals little of herself. Grania, Aiden’s daughter, falls in love with the much older Tony, who is also a teacher at the same school as her father. Tony, a tough and swinging bachelor, develops a great fondness for her too, neither knowing of the trouble to come.

Delightful, wonderful story I never expected to love it so much! This is a gem, a real gem. It should appeal to all. I found myself captivated and it was hard to set the book down at all times. I would have liked to hear more about Connie, though, and wondered about her. I was so sure her story would be wrapped up differently. And I was a little curious about Bill and Lizzie and how they would do together later. Great separate stories – great overall story!